The forest

Cain was still in his wolf form well after Brad had shifted, but he was planning to go check on the new pups. The wolf was a first-time mother and the male was young—Brad was glad Cain was keeping an eye on them. He took a quick shower and dressed, but the two of them hadn’t really talked much about last night. He wondered if part of Cain’s reason for not shifting was to avoid a conversation.

They really needed to talk about Anne. Cain was convinced she was on to them or at least suspicious, but Brad wasn’t all that sure. But if she was and she still liked them, wasn’t that a good thing? He glanced out the window at the trail that led to Anne’s cabin and wondered if she’d gone back to sleep after booting them out. She hadn’t seemed at all concerned about waking up with two wolves on her bed. That had to be a good thing, too. At least he hoped it was.

But what about two men in her bed? He glanced at Cain. The big silver wolf sprawled on the bed, watching Brad, and his heart actually hurt, thinking how much he loved the man. He knew Cain loved him every bit as much. They’d been together a long time, but they’d both agreed there was something missing in their relationship—a woman.

Was he just dreaming of moonbeams, imagining Anne accepting both of them, loving them equally? She was so beautiful, not to mention the way she clicked so easily with the two of them, filling that empty spot that was so much more noticeable when she wasn’t with them. Cain was the worrier—he wasn’t sure she’d be happy, stuck up here in the woods with a couple of werewolves. She was used to the city, used to having her sister close by.

Not used to loving or trusting one man, much less two. Brad had argued that they had to show Anne that their feelings for her were real, that they weren’t leading her on or playing with her affections. He was certain they could make her love them, but it wasn’t going to be easy.

They’d always known that any woman they found to love was going to have to love both of them. Now, though, they didn’t want just any woman. He and Cain agreed on that point—they wanted to keep Anne. Not as one of a couple, but as part of a triad.

They weren’t talking two guys taking turns, either. Both of them wanted her in their lives, in their bed, the two of them and Anne. Brad had no idea how to approach the subject.

He sat down on the bed and ran his fingers through Cain’s thick fur. “I’m going downstairs to get the coffee going,” he said. “Trak will be here before long, even if the women come in later.”

Cain yipped and, while they couldn’t actually communicate all that clearly telepathically, they’d been together long enough for Brad to know what his guy was thinking. “Good point,” Brad said. “I forgot Trak left with Suni and Fred … we may not see him until noon.”

Cain leapt off the bed and waited by the door. They shared a suite of rooms on the second floor of the lodge, just above the kitchen area. The other men had cabins, some of them shared, others lived alone, but Brad and Cain had been together for years, a young man’s friendship that had grown into so much more. Brad liked to think they each made the other stronger, better men, but for whatever reason, when they’d gone into Feral Passions as investors it had been with the idea that if they found a mate it would have to be a woman willing to love both of them.

If they’d had a checklist of their ideal woman, Anne would fill every slot. Brad already felt a powerful connection to her, and while he couldn’t yet call it love, it was damned close. Everything about her was appealing—the sound of her laughter, the joy in her smile. Her vulnerability. He wanted to be the man to protect her from the bastards who hurt her, because he knew she’d somehow been badly hurt along the way. He wanted to make love to that sexy body, lose himself in her soft breasts, bury himself between her perfect thighs, and he wanted to share all that was Anne with the man he loved.

He wondered if Cain’s hesitancy was because he’d fallen for Anne. Cain had always been the one who pondered every nuance of every event, every person. Brad was one of the few who realized how deep Cain’s emotions went, how powerfully he loved.

Was he afraid of loving Anne and having to watch her leave?

Brad knelt beside the big wolf. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll make this work, Cain. I promise.” Cain whined, a low, sad sound. “I know. It’s a risk, but we have to believe.”

Brad opened the door and let Cain out, but he followed Cain down the stairs, his mind on Anne, on what the three of them had done last night. Brad hadn’t been certain how well she’d handle the two of them, but she’d seemed to love every minute. She’d been amazing so far. It was already Tuesday. They had less than five days to convince her she really wanted to spend her life mated to a couple of werewolves.

At the rate they were going, it shouldn’t be all that hard, should it?

* * *

It was growing brighter, but the sun still wasn’t showing above the mountains when Anne reached the lodge. The wolves were gone, probably back to their dens or wherever wild wolves went during the day. Or, if her growing suspicions were true, back to their human selves.

She stopped in the middle of the trail. “I don’t believe I just thought that.” Her imagination was definitely running away with her logic. They were just hidden away for the day, that was all. Brad had told her they weren’t as active during daylight, but she’d still managed to see quite a few of them.

Waking up with two in her bed wasn’t anything she’d counted on, that’s for sure. Thinking about that, about last night, about what an amazing time she was having in spite of all her misgivings about this trip, had her looking for Christa and Steph. She really wanted to find out how their night had gone.

She wasn’t sure if she was ready to spill the beans about hers. Smiling, remembering, she walked up the steps and pushed open the door into the dining room. The place was empty except for Brad standing behind the bar with a cup of coffee and a newspaper spread out on the counter.

“Good morning.” She sat on one of the tall stools while he gave her a very serious once-over. Make that twice-over. She’d had some amazing orgasms, and the only one he’d had was an accident. He probably wouldn’t appreciate a reminder.

He leaned close and kissed her, and she tasted coffee. “Hmmm … is this the only way I’m going to get my caffeine this morning?”

“Works for me.” He laughed and turned around to pour a cup for her. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like the dead. You and Cain are better than any drug I’ve ever heard of. I didn’t wake up once during the night, though I certainly might have if I’d known I had visitors.”

At least he had the grace to look a little sheepish. “I hope you don’t mind. You were out like a light when we put you to bed, and Cain and I were both worried that you might be disoriented if you woke during the night. The guys were outside when we got ready to leave, so we decided to let them in.” He shrugged. “It was sort of a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

She laughed. “I didn’t mind at all. They were excellent bedmates, and they’re definitely toasty to sleep with. Ya know, I never imagined sleeping with a wolf on my bed, much less two. It was actually pretty cool.” She glanced around the empty dining area. “Where is everyone?”

“Well, Cain’s checking on mama wolf and the babies, and none of the others have shown up yet this morning. Considering how everyone paired up last night, I have a feeling they’ll come straggling in a bit later than usual.”

“Does this happen every week? New women show up and the guys all find someone to sleep with?” She hadn’t thought about it that way, that she might be one of a revolving carousel of women here for the men’s pleasure. If that was the case … Damn. She didn’t want it to be.

“Not usually.” Brad took a sip of his coffee. “Granted, it’s hard to meet women living so far out in the woods, but we’ve only been open a month, so that’s four sets of guests, six each week, and this is the most interesting group we’ve had. You’re certainly the most interesting one I’ve met.”

She shook her head. “Why, Brad? I don’t get it. Are you and Cain for real? Because believe me, I am not usually the focus of any man’s desire. I’m more apt to be the best friend that guys come to when they’re having trouble with their girlfriends or, even worse, the butt of their stupid jokes.”

Crap. She hadn’t meant to sound like such a bitch, but … She needed to take her coffee and go back to her cabin. Brad didn’t deserve her anger.

“Anne.”

She closed her eyes and looked away. She really couldn’t look at him, but then he tipped her chin up with his fingers and gently turned her toward him. “I think you’re beautiful. Plus, you’re funny and smart, and I personally don’t find anything attractive about a girl who’s so thin she looks half-starved. Do you have any idea how much I want to take you to bed? Last night it about killed me when you fell asleep, because I wanted to be inside of you.”

She smiled at him. What a line this guy had. “That would have been difficult. Cain was there.”

“Cain wants you, too.”

“What?” She slapped her hand over her mouth. She hadn’t meant to squeak.

Brad peeled her hand away and kissed her. He took his time getting it right, and Anne was breathing hard when he finally pulled away, but before she could catch her breath and respond she heard voices outside. Steph and Christa coming up the steps and she was sitting here, most likely beet red, totally incapable of a coherent thought.

“Relax. We can talk later when Cain gets back.” He raised his head and smiled. “Good morning ladies. Coffee?”

Suni and Fred arrived just behind them, and then Darnell wandered in. Anne really wanted to talk to her sister and absolutely had to talk to Brad and Cain, but that would have to wait. Everyone was standing around, chattering about what a good time they were having, and yet she noticed that there was no mention made of the men they’d all gone home with last night.

That was good. It let her off the hook, at least for now. How could she possibly describe the night she’d had with Cain and Brad? It was a lot safer to talk about the wolves. Wolves were fine. They were so much simpler to deal with than two men who, for whatever reason, appeared to think she was sexy.

Which gave her an utterly superb opening. “Ladies, I need to tell you who spent the night in my bed last night.”

The room went stone quiet.

Brad laughed. “That’s definitely the way to get a crowd’s attention.” He leaned over and kissed her soundly before heading into the kitchen. “I need to get breakfast started. Behave, ladies.”

“Behave? Are you kidding?” Christa snagged the barstool next to Anne. “Okay, girl. Dish.”

CHAPTER 10

Anne sipped her coffee and took her time, at least until Cissy growled at her. “Okay,” she said. “Well, first of all, I got a massage last night. Cain’s the masseur and he’s wickedly awesome, but Brad was there, too. He helped Cain carry the table and his tote bags of massage stuff, and it was just what I needed after that hike.” And that was all they were going to hear about the massage. “I was so sleepy and relaxed when Cain was done that the guys dumped me into bed and left. Brad said he was worried about leaving me so zonked out, but the two wolves I’ve gotten to know were outside as they were leaving, so he sent them in.”

“Two wolves? You had two wolves in your room?” Suni’s shoulders slumped. “Damn. I’ve hardly seen any wolves at all.”

“You’ll see them. I’m sure of it.” Anne hadn’t realized how unique her situation was—she appeared to have two wolves really interested in her. “If you’re lucky, you might wake up the way I did, trapped under your covers by wolves lying on top of the bedspread.”

“You’re kidding! They were on the bed?” Christa laughed out loud. “And to think you didn’t want to come on this trip.”

“I planned to tell you this morning that I’d changed my mind. I’m having a blast.”

Christa winked. “So am I, darlin’. So am I.”

Cain walked into the lodge before Anne could ask Christa to expand on that comment. He had three big wolves with him, and they drew everyone’s attention. All the chatter in the dining room fell silent as the beautiful beasts paused beside the equally striking man. Then he smiled, and the moment was broken.

“I was coming up the steps when I heard Suni saying she hadn’t seen hardly any wolves, and these guys were just lying around being bums. Suni, they know you mean them no harm, so feel free to come over and tell them just how rude they’ve been, avoiding you.”

“Really?” She crept around Anne, paused, and then walked up to the closest wolf. He planted his butt on the floor and waited until she came close enough and then he sniffed her hand. She rubbed his head and he leaned against her leg, but there was something about him, about the way he moved, that caught Anne’s attention.

He reminded her of Trak. It was hard to say why, but there was something about him that made her think of the man. That made her look more closely at the other two. The biggest one, silver with some light brown coloring, had gray-blue eyes, and there was something about the way he watched all of them that reminded her of Ronan, the man who’d gone with Christa last night. A man who also had beautiful gray-blue eyes.

The third wolf, a big gray and black animal, had brilliant blue eyes. Eyes just like Wils’s.

Anne shivered and rubbed her arms to warm herself, even though it was warm enough in here. When she raised her head, she caught Cain staring at her, and those forest green eyes matched the eyes of the wolf she’d slept with last night. Just the way the brown-eyed wolf had made her think of Brad.

Cain was watching her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking. She shivered again, turned her head away to break eye contact, and took a sip of her lukewarm coffee.

* * *

Cain walked across the room, directly toward Anne. He had a horrible feeling she’d figured them out, no matter what Brad said. The way she was watching him right now, like she was putting two and two together and coming up with anything but four.

He had no idea what he was going to say if she asked him. No idea at all. So he’d just act like there wasn’t anything to worry about and see what happened. He smiled as he approached her, threw his arm over her shoulders when he got close. “How are you feeling this morning? Did the massage help?”

She blushed. Damn, but he loved the way her skin flushed that deep red. She’d had the same reaction when she was aroused, even more when she climaxed, and he’d better stop thinking about that or he was going to have a hard time hiding what he was thinking.

“You know it did. I can’t believe I fell asleep on you guys.”

“You’re kidding, right?” He tightened his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. Any more and he wouldn’t be able to stop. Choosing to stay over with her as wolves had been its own sweet torture—it had also meant he and Brad couldn’t take care of the problem at hand, so to speak, and just being this close to her already had Cain on edge. “You have to realize that’s about the best compliment a masseur can get. It means you were totally relaxed.”

“Any more relaxed and I would have melted right off the table.”

“You didn’t mind that we let the guys in to sleep with you last night?”

“Are you kidding?” She shook her head, and there was nothing about her that felt at all suspicious. Damn, he hoped he was right. They’d taken such a huge risk, opening up Feral Passions the way they had. Opening up the chance of their secret getting out.

“I told Brad they were great bed partners. Warm and quiet. Where are they? I thought when you walked in that you might have them with you, but these are all different wolves. They’re so beautiful, each so unique. I never realized before how different wolves looked from each other.”

He shrugged. Tried to look as nonchalant as he could, considering one of her wolves was pouring coffee behind the bar and the other one was standing here with his arm around her. “We don’t keep tabs on any of them. They come and go; sometimes they’re gone for weeks at a time. Other times they hang out here at the lodge, now that it’s done. When we were building, they stayed away, but once the equipment and construction crews were gone, they’ve started coming back. I’ve never seen wild wolves as sociable as these guys.”

“They’re all males, the ones that hang around the lodge, aren’t they? Isn’t that unusual?”

She really was too damned observant. He shrugged as if it wasn’t any big deal. “Not really. The females, at least the ones close by, all have pups now, and they’re not going to bring them around so many people. If you come back later in the summer, you’d be able to see the females with their pups, but they’re a lot shyer than the guys.”

Brad stepped out of the kitchen. Cain had forgotten he was cooking this morning. “Hey, Cain, can you help me with the trays? I’ve got breakfast ready to put out.”

“Duty calls,” Cain said, and gave Anne a quick kiss.

She followed him into the kitchen. “I can help. I don’t see any of your regular crew out there.”

Brad just shook his head. “Too much fun last night, I imagine. Thanks, Anne. Be careful—the handles are cool, but the pan’s hot.” He gave her a stainless pan filled with bacon and sausage. Cain had two with fried potatoes and scrambled eggs, and Brad followed them out with a big bowl of fruit and another with a large quiche. They had everything set up on hot plates or under heat lamps within a couple of minutes, and the line quickly formed.

Cain put the wolves outside, and Anne got in line with Steph and Christa. They filled their plates and then found places at the long table in the center of the room. By the time they were seated, Trak arrived. Wils, Ronan, and Evan showed up a few minutes later.

Cain took a seat with Brad and Trak at one of the smaller tables, ostensibly to go over plans for the day’s activities. He kept his fears to himself, but he’d watch Anne closely.

Of course, he had no idea what he’d do if she asked him point-blank if he was a wolf. Why did he feel as if they maybe hadn’t thought this plan through as well as they should have?

* * *

“I thought we’d never get a chance to talk.” Anne led Christa and Steph along a shaded trail, following a map Cain had sketched on a napkin that was supposed to take them to a large meadow filled with wildflowers and a small pond. “I am dying to know what happened with you and Ronan, Cissy, and you and Wils, Steph. I mean, those guys are just so hot!”

Christa snorted. Steph blushed.

“Steph! You’re blushing. You never blush!” Anne planted her feet and laughed. “Must have been one wild night.”

Steph giggled and turned even redder. “Wils is amazing, and ‘wild’ doesn’t even come close.” She glanced at Christa and they both burst out laughing. “C’mon. I want to get a little bit farther from the lodge. I really, really don’t want them to hear us talking about them.”

“Them?”

“Uh, yeah. Them.” Christa was blushing now.

“Okay, but then you guys are going to tell me everything.”

Anne led off at a good clip with her sister and Steph trailing along behind. They only went about a quarter of a mile before the trail dumped them out into a beautiful meadow. Deer grazed belly deep in thick grass on the far side near a line of trees, and a shallow pond stretched across the northern end.

Masses of wildflowers in shades of blue and gold, with patches of white and red scattered about, went so far beyond the “pretty flowers” Cain had described that the three of them just stood there at the edge of the meadow, staring.

There might not be any cell phone service, but Anne was glad she’d kept her phone in her pocket. She pulled it out and snapped some pictures. This was just too beautiful not to. She glanced up when Christa called her.

“Over here.” Steph had found a weathered log in the shade and parked her butt on one end of it. Christa sat next to her. Anne sat on a smooth boulder facing them. She felt like the grown-up in the room with a couple of misbehaving kids. Christa looked at Steph and they both looked at Anne—and both of them blushed.

“I’m waiting.”

Christa turned to Steph. “You tell her,” she said. “I can’t. She’s my sister!” She practically wailed that last part.

Steph giggled again. “Okay. But it was all your idea.”

“No, it wasn’t!” Christa covered her face with her hands.

“Was, too.” Steph was obviously loving this.

Anne had to bite back a grin. She’d never seen Christa embarrassed before. Ever. “I don’t care whose idea it was; what happened?”

“Okay,” Steph said. “So I was with Wils and Ronan had Christa, and—”

“Did he ever,” Christa muttered.

Steph ignored her. “We left together. The guys knew which cabins we were staying in and they took us on a trail that led from the back side of the deck. We all ended up at my cabin. Wils had snagged a bottle of some kind of really good liqueur—”

“Tasted like pomegranate juice,” Christa said. “It does amazing things to gin.”

“Oh, yeah. And that gin did amazing things to you, sweetheart.” Steph rolled her eyes. “Well, we all went into my cabin, and the guys mixed drinks for us—we’d been talking about cocktails at the lodge and so they’d brought everything they needed to make them.”

“They made a lot of them. They were really, really good. The next thing we knew…” Christa glanced at Steph.

“We were getting naked.”

“All four of you?” Anne burst out laughing. And she’d been worried about what the girls would think of her! “Well? Then what happened?”

Steph and Christa looked at each other and blushed. Again. Steph took a deep breath, let it out. “I guess you could say that anything that two men and two women who find each other attractive can do with one another got done. More than once.”

Christa nodded sagely. “Those guys have got amazing stamina.”

“Amazing,” Steph said. “Really amazing.”

Anne sat there with her hand covering her mouth. She did not want to interrupt this story. Not one bit.

“Ya know those romances you read?” Christa glanced at Steph and then focused on Anne. “The ones with all the wild sex in them? Well, I can now tell you that yes, it is possible for two men and two women to get it on and all get off at the same time.”

Steph shrugged. “Well, it did take us a couple of tries to get it right.”

“I know.” Christa gazed at Anne. “I think we need more practice tonight.”

“Good idea.” Steph glanced at Christa again and they both broke out in giggles. It took a minute before she stopped enough to actually talk. Then Steph very calmly said, “So, Anne … how did your night go?”

“Well, not like yours, that’s for sure, but it wasn’t bad. It was just me and Cain and Brad. The guys gave me a massage, including an unbelievable orgasm, and then put me to bed. I slept with two wolves for company and woke up in time for breakfast. Not like your night, that’s for sure.”

“Both of them?” Steph glanced at Christa. “Massaging you?”

“Yeah, but they had their clothes on.” Anne sighed. “I didn’t.” She almost laughed when she realized how much fun she was having with this. “I’m hoping we can change that tonight.”

Christa stared at her so long it made Anne nervous. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because this is so not you, hon. You haven’t had a boyfriend in, like, forever.”

Anne shrugged. “I don’t think of Brad and Cain as boyfriend material. I do, however, think of them as a really fun way to enjoy a spectacular vacation. They’re both sweet and sexy and they like me.” She leaned close and pressed her hand against Christa’s knee. “I know what you’re thinking, but they’re not like that other guy. He was a cruel, self-serving jerk, but he’s over and done with, and he’s part of the past. Brad and Cain are…” She paused and thought about it. “I guess they’re more right now.”

She laughed, but then it was her turn to blush. “That is, if I don’t fall asleep on them again. But what about you guys? You know that whatever you find here ends when we go home on Saturday, right?”

“God, I hope so.” Steph glanced at Christa. “If I had sex like that every night, I think it would kill me.”

“I know.” Shaking her head, Christa laughed. “At least they’ve allowed me to take a few fantasies off my bucket list. And talk about beautiful bodies. Amazing.” She poked Steph and they both cracked up. When she finally got it together, Christa merely shrugged. “However, we never got into likes and dislikes, or anything personal, not even their last names. So yes, I can honestly say I’m not thinking long term with either of those guys, but I wouldn’t mind a few more nights.”

Neither would Anne. Brad and Cain filled something in her that she hadn’t realized was empty until now. She flat out had fun with them. They made her laugh and they made her sigh, and damn, but they made her feel like that sensuous woman she’d always thought might be inside. She liked that woman and she didn’t want to lose her, this woman who could take off her clothes in front of two handsome men and feel voluptuous and sexy, not fat. It wasn’t going to be easy to walk away from that freedom at the end of the week. Not when she’d let herself go with Brad and Cain more than with anyone else in her life.

Including the jerk who’d been so horrible to her during her senior year in high school. She’d been so shy and awkward, but she’d thought she loved him and thought that love was returned. Obviously, it wasn’t. He’d been a classmate in her advanced college prep calculus class. She’d helped him with his homework, and she’d crushed on him. Seriously. He’d finally asked her out, and they’d had such a good time. She thought.

It wasn’t until later she’d learned the truth, that he needed her to help him pass the class and he’d taken a bet from his buddies that not only would she get him through calculus, he’d get into her before the semester ended.

Whoopee … he’d won. If he’d only just quit there. But no—he’d wanted her total humiliation, and he’d gotten it.

The walk back to the lodge was quieter. She wondered what Steph and Christa were thinking, if they planned to get together with Wils and Ronan tonight. Anne had no idea what she was planning to do. It depended on Brad and Cain.

And maybe just a little bit on her.

CHAPTER 11

Anne stepped into the lunchroom just as Steph and Christa were leaving with trays of food. “Where are you headed?”

“Brad and Trak made a run into town for supplies, but they left plenty of stuff for lunch and told us to take what we wanted.” Christa glanced at Steph and laughed. “We’ve both got books we’ve been wanting to read, so we’re going to veg out at my cabin with food, a bottle of wine”—she laughed when Steph held up the bottle—“and the books. They’re your sexy romances by the way. I’m reading Hot Alphas. Steph’s got one called Alpha’s Woman. Notice a theme, here? It’s all about the alpha male. We’re thinking of them as educational reading at this point.” She laughed and jabbed Steph with her elbow. “And wondering, of course, which guys here are the true alphas.” She laughed. “I’m voting all of them. Thanks for bringing the books. You’re welcome to join us.”

“Thanks, but … where’s everyone else? Did the L.A. contingent go somewhere?”

“Just to the pool, but they loaded up on the drinks,” Steph said. “If I drank that much, I’d be asleep by dinnertime.”

“I probably will be, just on principle alone. I can’t remember the last time I was this relaxed.”

Steph snorted. “Me, either, but that’s because we can’t remember the last time we were getting such creative … um, workouts. I had no idea this place offered such fantastic entertainment. Anyway, Anne, if you don’t find something else to do, come join us.”

Steph grabbed Christa and the two of them left. Anne almost went with them. She really didn’t want to spend the afternoon alone in her cabin, but an afternoon reading and eating sounded pretty boring. She made a sandwich, poured some iced tea, and went out on the deck, but she took a seat at one of the small tables—it would feel too lonely, sitting at that long picnic table by herself. Cain showed up a few minutes later. He stepped out of the lodge with a couple of sandwiches for himself.

“Where’d you come from? I didn’t see you in the kitchen.”

He took the seat across from her and spread his meal out on two paper plates. “I just had to walk down the stairs. Brad and I share a suite of rooms here in the lodge. It’s more convenient, since he does most of the breakfast cooking and I need to be available in case anyone wants a massage.”

“You’re roommates?” That explained why they seemed like such good friends, but then she wondered if they were gay. They’d brought her to orgasm but hadn’t gotten anything for themselves, but if they had each other maybe she really was just a job for them.

Her lunch lost all its appeal. Had she totally misread their interest?

“I can almost hear the wheels spinning in that busy brain of yours. What are you thinking, Cheraza?”

“Are you and Brad gay?”

He shrugged and shook his head. “I love Brad and he loves me. We’ve been together a long time. We have great sex together—really great sex—but Anne, do not doubt that we both really love women.”

There really wasn’t much to say to that. She and Cain finished up their lunch at the same time. She gathered up her napkin and the plastic cup she’d filled with iced tea when Cain grabbed her hand. “I’m going to check on the mama wolf and her pups. Come with me?”

She sat back down. “Really? I thought you didn’t want to frighten her. Won’t I—”

He shook his head. “Not at all. She’s used to me, and if you’re with me, she’ll probably ignore you. She’ll be fine.”

“Are my shorts and sandals okay?”

“The trail’s pretty level, just one tree that’s down. I can help you over it.”

She glanced at her flip-flops and shrugged. If Cain could go in sweats and moccasins, it couldn’t be too daunting a hike. “Good. Then yes. I definitely want to go. Give me a minute to dump my plate, and I’ll help you put the rest of the food away. I think everyone’s eaten.”

* * *

That was another thing he really admired about Cheraza, and damn, but he loved the way her real name rolled off his tongue, too, but she had absolutely no problem at all about helping him clean up the leftovers from the meal or even bussing plates a couple of the women had left at the table. They were on vacation and paying a lot of money to be here, but so was she. It didn’t seem to matter—she just stepped up and did what needed to be done.

Not a single one of the women who’d been to Feral Passions had been anything like her. He hoped like hell he hadn’t scared her off, telling her about his relationship with Brad. They’d begun as friends and the friendship had grown. It wasn’t uncommon among the shifters—they lived for a long time, and if they weren’t mated it was good to have someone to love.

But if Cain and Brad mated Anne, she’d live just as long. That was another thing he hated springing on her—as if turning furry weren’t enough.

“C’mon.” He handed her a bottle of water and grabbed one for himself and then slipped a light daypack over his shoulder. He liked to carry treats out for the mama wolf, and he’d packed a few necessities for himself. Just in case. The den wasn’t far, but the day had turned warm. The creek near the den had a pool that was deep enough to cool off in, but that would require getting Anne naked.

Nothing like setting goals, right? He grabbed her hand and led her into the woods.

* * *

She wasn’t used to holding hands with any man, especially one like Cain. He was so overwhelmingly masculine. She found herself thinking of the books her sister and Steph were reading. Cain had to be an alpha, more so than Brad. Both were powerful, sexual men, but there was something ruthless about Cain—ruthless and earthy. Brad was sexy, but Cain wore his sensuality like a cloak, an almost visible aura that made her fingers itch to touch him.

But something about being held by a man like Cain had changed her. Over the past couple of days she’d quit obsessing about her weight, about how she compared to the other women, how she looked to the men in her life. Was it because she needed the validation of a couple of good-looking guys paying attention to her? She hoped that wasn’t the only reason.

She’d like to think it was something more, something inside her that was suddenly, for whatever reason, breaking free, but holding hands with Cain had her wondering what her life would be like when she got back to San Francisco. Would she be taking any of this newfound confidence with her?

He led her down a trail that followed the meandering creek north from the lodge. They hadn’t gone very far—and she’d made it over the fallen tree without help—when Cain paused just ahead of her.

“Shhh … See that fallen tree?” He pointed to a large pine that had toppled from a rise where high water had undercut the bank. The roots were sticking out of the ground and the trunk went entirely across the creek. Up at the top of the bank, a large boulder rested against the upthrust roots and Anne saw what appeared to be a well-traveled trail down the bank and between the boulder and the trunk. She nodded and clutched Cain’s hand even tighter.

“I’m going to go first and see how she’s doing. I’ll whistle if it’s safe for you to come. Just follow the trail the same way I do.” He reached into his daypack and pulled out a plastic bag. “I brought some hamburger. Bring it with you and I imagine she’ll be a lot less nervous.”

Cain worked his way close to the den and then disappeared beneath the fallen tree. A couple of minutes later, he whistled. Anne followed the same trail and paused at the opening to the den. It was larger than she’d expected, part of it probably dug out by the wolf using a natural little cave created by the boulder, the roots from the fallen tree, and the rocky bank behind them.

Anne heard Cain talking softly to the wolf, and then he was talking to Anne. She followed his instructions and crawled under the tree. It was deeply shadowed but light enough to see Cain sitting with his back against the boulder and his pack on the ground beside him. She smelled a musty odor the deeper she went inside. It wasn’t unpleasant and made her think of puppies. The wolf was about six feet back, curled against the rocky bank.

She growled when she saw Anne.

Anne shot a quick glance at Cain. “She doesn’t look happy to see me.”

“Toss her a little ball of the hamburger. Try and get it close—she’s nursing the pups right now, so she’s feeling protective.”

Anne did as Cain instructed and managed to drop the meat within a couple inches of the wolf’s snout. She sniffed it and snapped it up. Her ears came up and she studied Anne with more interest. Before long Anne had emptied the bag of meat and the wolf had finished every bite. Then she turned to lick her pups, totally ignoring the humans in her den.

They stayed for almost half an hour while the mother wolf slept with her pups curled up in the curve of her body before Cain pointed toward the opening and they finally crawled out with Anne in the lead. Once they were outside, Cain led her over to the creek where a deep pool of water had formed behind a natural stone dam. They sat on a flat rock in the sunlight, but it wasn’t long before Cain pulled his moccasins off, pushed the legs of his sweatpants up, and dangled his feet in the water.

Anne slipped off her sandals and did the same thing. “That feels so good. It’s warmer than I expected.”

“It stays dammed up behind the rocks long enough for the sun to warm the water. This is one of my favorite swimming holes. It’s off-limits to guests because of the den. We don’t want to spook the mother, but she’s fine with me and a few of the other guys. She thinks Evan is her pack mate, because he’s the one who raised her when she was brought to us. They bonded.”

“Lucky Evan.” She turned and looked at Cain. “How come you’re the one checking on her? Shouldn’t he be doing that?”

Cain shook his head. “No, because she was growing too familiar with him. Even though this is a preserve, we want them to retain their wild nature.”

She snorted. “Yeah, like feeding her hamburger is enforcing that, right?”

He bumped shoulders with her. “Well, yeah. That sort of breaks the rules, but I wanted her to accept you. Let’s just keep that our secret, okay?”

“I can do that. I really appreciate your bringing me here to see them.”

“I’m glad. I get in there and lose track of time. It’s so cool to watch her with her babies.”

“I still can’t believe I got that close to her.”

“She’s lived most of her life here on the preserve. Her mother and one of her siblings were killed—hit by a car when the pups were about eight to ten weeks old. The guy who hit them felt terrible, but he was able to catch the surviving pup and she was brought to us. Evan hand raised her until she was ready to hunt on her own. Hence, the bonding.”

Anne studied his profile for a moment. Strong with a tough edge and yet so tender with creatures who needed him. She found the two sides of Cain fascinating. “Your lives are so different here from what I’m used to. Different, but beautiful, too.” Anne stared at the water flowing around her feet. Awareness of the man beside her pulsed like a living thing, along with the sense that she was being shown a life totally foreign to the only one she knew. It wasn’t at all frightening—she saw this as an amazing adventure, an exciting addendum to her otherwise mundane existence.

It was also wildly arousing. Sitting here dangling her feet in the creek after such an amazing experience, close beside a man she fully intended to have sex with before the week ended had her nipples tightly pressed against her bra and the sensitive tissues between her legs suddenly feeling swollen and wet. She turned and caught Cain staring at her. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flared. She frowned. What was—

“I need to cool off. I’m going in.” Cain stood, ripped his T-shirt over his head, and shoved his pants down. Why she’d imagined him wearing underwear, much less, a swimsuit, was beyond her, but he was gloriously naked under his sweats and absolutely beautiful.

He was also quite obviously aroused. Had he somehow picked up her scent? She’d been almost certain the wolves could scent her, but Cain?

Trying to be flip, knowing she was blushing ten shades of red, Anne gestured at his huge erection, almost at eye level. “Is that for me?”

“Could be, sweet Anne. You only have to say the word.”

Good lord, but the man’s smile was deadly. Even so, her eyes had to be as big as saucers.

It took Anne a minute to find her voice. “You look awfully hot.” She winked. “I think you need to cool off a bit, Cain.” She stuck her hand in the creek and splashed him.

His eyes narrowed, he retaliated, and the battle was on. At some point she lost her shirt and then her bra. Before long, her clothes were drying on the flat rock and she was naked in the pool, in water deep enough to cover her breasts but so crystal clear it hid absolutely nothing. Cain stared at her with enough heat in his eyes to warm the entire creek—either that or the heat coming off her body was having the same effect.

They both stopped at the same moment. Anne had never, not once in her life, been so aware of a man—the awareness had been there since she’d first met him, but something about the current circumstances had ramped up the arousal quotient way beyond anything she’d ever experienced.

Probably the fact that he was beautifully built, stark naked, and had a raging hard-on aimed directly at her helped, but along with the heat was the power, the physically intimidating strength of the man—strength she didn’t fear in the least. He wanted her. She knew without any doubt he would never, ever hurt her.

She’d heard the phrase “smoldering gaze.” Cain’s had her slowly but surely going up in flames. She’d fantasized in vivid dreams, wondered what it would be like, to be the focus of that kind of arousal, to be desired by a man with such intensity. This was her chance, wasn’t it?

It would only take a single step and everything between them could change. Would change, because she knew she would be a different woman after sex with Cain. She wouldn’t call it making love. She couldn’t call it anything but sex, but she wanted it just the same. Wanted it so damned much.

“Anne?” Cain’s voice was so deep she knew what she heard was the result of desire thrumming in his veins—the same desire that sizzled in hers.

She smiled and, for the first time in her life, felt powerful. “Cain?” She took a step toward him, not the least bit intimidated.

He held up his hand, as if reaching for her. His fingers trembled. “I don’t want you to think that I planned this, but I have protection in my pack. Of course”—he shrugged and gave her a disarming smile—“I want you, obviously.” He glanced down at himself, his erection easily visible in the clear water, “But only if you feel the same way.”

“Will you kiss me?” She couldn’t believe that was her voice, that those were her words. Her desires—and she was actually putting voice to them.

Cain stepped closer, moved into her space, and she swore the heat off his body was even hotter.

“I was actually planning on that, regardless.” He slipped one hand around her waist and pulled her tightly against him. He was tall—at least six two—and his cock rested against her stomach. The wet hair on his chest was a slick and springy abrasion against her breasts. The same coarse hair on his thighs tickled her legs, and the heat from his shaft branded her belly. He pulled her close, lifted her against him. She stared into his eyes as his lips came down on hers.

Green eyes, as green as the pines in the forest, flecks of blue and gold this close, and then his mouth was on hers, his lips pressing, his tongue testing the seam between her lips until she opened to him. It was a vacation fling, a chance meeting with a guy who made her so damned hot; it was nothing, and everything, and her body went liquid in his arms.

He gripped her buttocks with his big hands and lifted her higher. She tightened her grasp on his shoulders and wrapped her legs around him, holding him close, preternaturally aware of the hot length of his cock resting between her legs, so hot that the water in the pool was suddenly icy in contrast.

She clutched his shoulders; their mouths sealed, their tongues twisted and explored until she finally broke away only long enough to breathe, long enough for Cain to whisper, “Condom,” in a ragged voice.

He carried her to the shore and, still holding her with one arm, reached for his pack, dug through the thing one-handed, and pulled out a foil packet.

CHAPTER 12

She’d never had sex with a guy wearing protection. She’d had sex once in her life and not again, not since she was an eighteen-year-old virgin and the guy she thought loved her took what he wanted and then publicly humiliated her. Memories flashed into her mind, memories she’d never been able to bury, but Cain’s hold on her tightened and he paused, holding her close, gazing into her eyes with an expression of care and concern.

“Anne? Are you afraid? We don’t have to do this.”

“No, I’m not,” she said, holding him close. “Yes. We do.”

He turned and set her on the rock at the edge of the pool. “We don’t, sweetheart. Not if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Cain, I’m going to be totally honest with you.” He had no idea how hard it was for her to tell him this, but she wanted him to know why she had so many hang-ups, why she was such a freak. “I’m twenty-eight years old and I’ve had sex once. Just once, with a guy I thought loved me. He didn’t. To him I was a joke and he made a point of letting everyone know how horrible I was in bed—except it wasn’t in bed. It was the backseat of his car.” Her voice broke, and it took everything in her to finish what she needed to say. “That’s my only memory of sex with anyone.” She couldn’t stop the tears. She hadn’t wanted to dump this on Cain, but he needed to know what kind of basket case he was dealing with. “I want a good memory. I think that can be you. I hope it’s you. Please?”

“Ah, Cheraza, my sweet Anne. Tomorrow you give me the bastard’s name and address and I will personally take him out.” He smiled at her. “I can ensure a long and painful death.”

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and laughed. Actually laughed, and it felt so damned good. “Thank you. I may take you up on that. Now, I really want to get back to what we were doing.”

“So do I.” His laughter was ragged, that of a man on the edge. “You have no idea.”

He sheathed himself and leaned over her. It was shallower here by the edge, and he stood between her legs in water that reached his hips. Her legs were in the water, and he laid her down so that her back pressed against the smooth surface of sun-warmed granite. There were a few fluffy clouds floating by overhead, and birds flitted about the trees along the creek. A hawk screeched in the distance, water rushed into the pond, splashing over rocks and fallen trees, and Cain was there, leaning over her, kissing her, and then sliding lower, using his hands to plump her breasts, sucking first one nipple and then the other, and it felt so good she moaned. Actually moaned, lying on a sun-warmed rock in the woods with cool water up to her thighs and a gorgeous man between her legs.

She couldn’t believe this was happening to her, until Cain moved lower and put his mouth between her thighs. She gasped, sucked in a breath, and tangled her fingers in his long hair. He licked and sucked, twirling his tongue between her labia and then circling her clit, teasing her until she was ready to scream.

She whimpered and Cain raised his head. “Ready, Cheraza? It’s been a long time for you, sweetheart. I want to be sure you’re ready. I don’t want to hurt you.”

She let out a huff of breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, raised her head, and glared at him. “The only one who’s going to be hurt is you if you don’t get busy and finish what you started.”

“Yes, ma’am!” He ran his tongue between her folds once again and then slid up over her. The thick crown of his penis pressed between her legs, but he rested there, not pushing forward, just holding himself at her entrance. “You’re sure, Cheraza? I want you to be sure, because I have a feeling that once we do this, I won’t let you go.”

He sounded so serious, his voice, his words, pulled her out of the sexual haze holding her almost immobile.

She opened her eyes and he was right there, his mouth so close, his gaze intense. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more, Cain. I don’t want to beg, but I will. Now, please?”

“Yes.” His voice was rough with passion. His eyes held hers with laser focus, and he cupped her face in his hands. “This isn’t going to be just sex, Cheraza. You had sex with that other guy. Not with me. We are making love. A beginning, okay? Will you think of this as a beginning?”

He didn’t force an answer. Instead, he clasped her shoulders and his gaze never left her face as he surged forward. She was so wet, so ready, yet he entered her just enough to ensure he was going to fit. She felt the stretch and burn and remembered what it had been like so many years ago. Pain when the guy forced himself inside without preparing her for his entry, and while he was much smaller than Cain, he’d hurt her, and she’d bled.

Cain was so careful, taking it slowly, in a bit and then out, then in a little deeper. By the time he’d buried himself completely inside, they were both panting with the effort, with the pure sensation of connection.

He’d been right. This was a beginning. Anne wasn’t sure where it would lead. In the back of her mind, somehow she knew that what they did now was more than Cain making love to her. She felt Brad here as well, not between them, but part of them. The next time they came together, would he be with them? She wrapped her arms around Cain and held him close to her while he rested, regaining control, giving her time to fully accommodate his size.

She gazed up at him, at the strain etched in his features, the feral intensity in his eyes, and accepted that while she hardly knew him, she felt so safe, so entirely in sync with him, there was no fear. No hesitation. “When we do this again,” she said, “Brad will be with us?”

Cain’s smile changed everything about him. He was handsome and intense, a little scruffy with his long hair and clipped beard, but when he smiled this openly she felt as if he’d given her a gift, a sense of the man behind the laughter. It hit her then, a feeling so powerful it left her light-headed—she could love this man.

She could love Brad, as well.

She tilted her hips and, with that simple lift, invited Cain deeper.

“Thank you,” he said. Then he laughed, and he began to move. She caught his rhythm and their bodies seemed to flow, one into the other. Together they were flawless and she reveled in that amazing synchronization, the way they fit so well together, the way each seemed to know exactly what the other needed.

She could do this forever—at least that’s what she thought—until he tilted his hips just a bit and managed to find some magic spot deep inside, a part of her that was obviously the seat of all pleasure, because what had been a lovely, almost leisurely sensual journey had suddenly become a race, one that Cain started and Anne knew she had to finish. Sensations rippled from her clit to her breasts and back again. Her toes began to tingle, her breath caught in her lungs, and suddenly, without enough warning at all, she was flying, her body arching beneath Cain’s as the two of them crested that hill and flew together.

She cried out and birds in the trees overhead took flight. Cain shouted. A curse? A cry? She couldn’t tell, only that he pulsed hard and deep inside her, his hands clenched her hips with enough force to bruise, and when he collapsed on top of her it took him a moment to realize he’d fallen hard enough to knock the air out of her.

Laughing, she shoved him to one side as he lifted himself away from her. He rolled to his back, lying beside her on the rock, laughing and gasping for air. It took him a few minutes to catch his breath, and when he did he turned his head until his face was inches from hers.

“Wow.”

She grinned at him. “That’s all you’re going to say? ‘Wow’?”

He took a couple of breaths. “Hell and holy shit, woman. What do you expect? Wow.”

She sighed dramatically, in spite of the fact that her inner muscles were still clenching in the aftermath of a most amazing climax. “I guess I expected more eloquence. I mean, that was pretty spectacular, you know? Or is it always that way?”

The smile on his face disappeared. “It’s never been that way, Cheraza. Not ever for me. I hope you realize, I am not letting you go.”

He rolled over and reached for another condom. He was still hard.

Over the course of the afternoon, she lost track of how many times they made love, though the unfiltered thought in her head was that they’d probably still be fucking like bunnies if Cain hadn’t run out of condoms.

Later, lying on the sun-warmed granite, Anne noticed shadows beginning to creep across their sunny spot. She had no idea how long they’d been out here, but the day was passing and they’d have to get up and get dressed at some point.

Cain rolled to one side and propped his chin on his elbow. “Cheraza? When you asked me if Brad and I were gay a little while ago…”

She couldn’t have kept a serious expression on her face for anything. “I think you’ve convinced me you like women, Cain. I may never walk again.”

He smiled at her, white teeth against tan skin, lips slightly swollen from kissing. She touched her mouth and wondered if—

“The thing is”—he interrupted her thought with a smile and the gentle stroke of his fingertip along the line of her jaw—“we don’t want women, plural.” He gazed at her so intently, so passionately, her heart bolted. It pounded in her chest, thundered in her ears.

“You see, Cheraza, our dream has always been to find one woman, a very unique woman we can both love. One who will love us.” He took her hand and played with her fingers. She was almost preternaturally aware of the strength in his hands—hands now intimately familiar with her body.

She looked at their joined hands, thinking of what he’d just said.

When she raised her head, he was gazing fiercely into her eyes, the moment so powerful that she wrapped her fingers tightly around his and held on.

“That is,” he said, speaking so softly she could barely hear him, “until we met you. It’s too soon to know if what we feel is love, and we have no idea how you feel about us, but what I’m trying to say…” He dropped his gaze, slowly shaking his head. “And obviously, not doing it very well…” He looked at her once again. “Is that we’d like to explore a relationship with you. Not just a vacation fling while you’re here, but beyond this week. We’ve talked about you. A lot.” He grinned then, a huge smile that lit up his face. “We want to spend more time together, exploring…” He let out a deep breath. “Everything.”

She opened her mouth, realized she had no idea what to say, and shut it just as Cain’s finger touched her lips. Shaking his head, he said, “No. Don’t say anything now. I’m unfair to throw this at you so quickly, and for that I apologize, but one week is such a short time. Think about it. About us. Will you do that?”

She’d certainly not expected anything like this. Even a few days ago, such a suggestion would have had her running far and fast the minute he’d said what he and Brad were contemplating. Except hadn’t she already been thinking of just this? She was curious enough to agree with Cain, to actually consider pursuing whatever it was he suggested.

Could she really be the right woman for two strong men such as Cain and Brad? Could she handle the convoluted ties that had to be part of a long-term ménage? It would entail so much change beyond the relationship. If they were involved, she’d have to move up here and live in the middle of nowhere, and what of her job? She really loved what she did and she could do it from anywhere, but they didn’t even have cell service here, not to mention high-speed Internet, and—

She smiled at Cain. She was getting way too far ahead of herself. She could worry about Internet service later. Maybe she should be worrying about tonight … or just looking forward to it. “You don’t need to apologize. I think I’d like to know more, maybe when Brad gets back,” she said. When Cain’s eyes went wide, she knew he wasn’t expecting her answer. Everyone had her pegged as such a prude, but she wasn’t. Not at all. She was just cautious. She had every reason to be.

“Really? You don’t think we’re crazy?”

“Well, I didn’t say that.” She gave him a cheeky grin and he wrapped his palm around her neck and pulled her close for a long, deep kiss.

If her lips hadn’t been swollen before, they certainly would be now.

* * *

The walk back to the lodge only took a few minutes—not nearly long enough for Anne to process everything that had happened today. She probably should have been sore, but she felt fantastic. Cain had been an ideal lover—thoughtful and sincere, teasing and funny—and his conversational subject matter after their marathon sex had certainly been fascinating.

Her head was still spinning, but in surprisingly great directions.

They passed by the pool where the three women from L.A. were hanging out with four men and a couple of wolves she didn’t recognize. There was no sign of Brad or Trak, though she saw a large wolf lying on the deck in the shade. As she got closer, she recognized it as the one she’d decided—if these men actually were werewolves—was Evan.

A quick glance around the premises confirmed that Evan the man was nowhere in sight. Significant or merely coincidence? She glanced down at their hands—hers tightly clasped in Cain’s—and wondered if she was merely losing her mind or if, at some point, Cain and Brad would tell her that no, she was just fine.

They were the ones with the issues. Furry issues.

And these were the same men who wanted her as the feminine third of their ménage?

She had to fight to keep from laughing. She really was losing her mind, but going off the deep end shouldn’t feel this glorious, should it?

If she hadn’t been such a huge fan of paranormal romances, hadn’t steeped herself in the lore surrounding werewolves and the rules that governed their nature—and for every book she read there was a different set of rules—she’d never be wondering such an outrageous thing.

And if she was a truly intelligent woman and her suspicions were confirmed, would she actually be considering what Cain had suggested? Would an intelligent woman, with little more than suspicions that men were capable of changing into wolves, accept a proposal to become the mate of not just one, but two of them? Hell, yes. That decision was easy enough to reach. She was still smiling when they reached her cabin. Cain paused at the top step and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t want to leave you, but I have to go work on dinner, and you probably want a nap.”

She nodded. A shower wouldn’t sound bad, either. They’d gone back into the pond for a final dip after using the last condom, but she wanted a chance to wash her hair, and time alone to think about what she and Cain had done. What he’d proposed. “I’ll meet you at the lodge for dinner, okay?”

“I’ll be there. I’m cooking tonight.” He rested his chin on top of her head as he held her close. “I’ll warn you ahead of time, I’m not nearly as good a cook as Trak or Brad, but we all like to take a turn. Tonight you suffer through my feeble attempts.”

“Oh, really?” She leaned back in his embrace. “And what are you making?”

“It’s actually already made, thank goodness, because we’re a lot later getting back than I expected. I just need to put it in the oven. Veggie lasagna, green salad, and garlic French bread. Trak’s got more of that good red wine his buddy makes, and I’ll figure out something for dessert.”

“Sounds yummy. I’ll see you around six.” She didn’t even think about her next move—just went up on her toes and kissed him. She’d never, not once in her entire life, initiated a kiss with a man. What if that was a mistake?

Obviously not. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless. As he turned to go, he ran his fingers along her cheek. “Beautiful,” he said. Then he winked and left.

Anne stood there on the porch, watching until he disappeared into the forest.